The Irish Astronomical Association was formed in 1974 and draws its 200+ members from both the UK and Ireland. The IAA membership ranges from complete beginners to accomplished observers and astrophotographers. Read more.....

Planetary drilling is more difficult than drilling on Earth. Low gravity reduces the possible weight-on-bit, and freezing conditions can seize the bit downhole. Furthermore, to reach any depth, it will be necessary to assemble the drillstring in-situ, which is a challenging task for robotic systems.

The stellar giants of our universe are notorious for their drastic lifestyles : live fast, die young. Burning up to hundreds of times the mass of our Sun, these stars produce the heaviest elements in the natural universe. Though they are born in a stellar nursery like all stars, their violent deaths can shine brighter than entire galaxies.

In the early Universe the only source of light was that left over from the big bang. As the Universe expanded this light was shifted out of visible wavelengths and the Universe entered the (cosmological) dark ages. The dark ages were brought to an end by the formation of the first stars and super-mass black holes a few hundred million years later. As these first stars died in supernova explosions they likely enriched their surroundings with the heavy elements, ultimately allowing the formation of rocky terrestrial planets and even life.